Your home AC unit: What you must know about R-22 and R-410A refrigerants

During an air conditioning tune-up or even a new system installation, you may hear words like Puron, Freon, R-22 or R-410A. These are the technical and brand names of widely used refrigerants found in today’s air conditioning systems.(Photo: Getty Images)

During an air conditioning tune-up or even a new system installation, you may hear words like Puron, Freon, R-22 or R-410A. These are the technical and brand names of widely used refrigerants found in today’s air conditioning systems. Knowing a little about their history and why one is more widely used than the other will help you make informed decisions about repairs and system maintenance going forward.

A refrigerant history lesson

R-22 is one of the best-known refrigerants on the market. Commonly referred to as Freon, its brand name, it has been the most widely-used in the U.S. since the 1950s. However, it is also classified as a hydro-chlorofluorocarbon, which has been associated with ozone layer depletion.

R-410A, also referred to by its brand name Puron, is considered a more environmentally stable alternative to R-22. It is also more efficient in transferring heat than R-22, adds Steve Mason, co-owner of Mason Mechanical, an HVAC contractor in the Valley. Air conditioners don’t actually blow cold air, he explained, they absorb heat out of the air and transfer that heat to the condensing unit outside your home. With R-410A’s better heat transfer capabilities, a system can run more efficiently.

It’s also important to note that since 2010, in response to federal legislation, manufacturers have stopped making systems that run on R-22, instead using R-410A in new units. R-22 refrigerant is still being available; however, production levels have been gradually reduced since 2010 and it will no longer be produced after 2020. Today’s production is roughly 20 percent of levels in 2010.

What to do with older systems

These changes have created a supply-demand problem for those with R-22 systems. R-22 costs about four to five times that of R-410A. And simply adding R-410A to a pre-2010 system in repair situations is not an option. The refrigerants require different lubricants and the older systems were not built to handle the pressure levels R-410A demands. There are “drop-in” replacement refrigerants available on the market for R-22 systems, but they reduce efficiency and capacity, Mason explained.

“Basically, if you have an R-22 system requiring a major repair, like a compressor replacement, you’ll really want to consider replacing it,” Mason said. “Future repairs will only get more expensive.”

Newer systems are also built to a minimum 13 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, with many systems offering even higher efficiency ratings as well. While the initial high cost of replacing a unit isn’t desirable to homeowners, the monthly energy savings on a high-efficiency unit adds up.

“Technologies are just so much better now. New units are better for the environment and don’t require as much energy for max cooling,” Mason added.

Beware of top-offs

Often times, technicians may tell a homeowner his or her system requires a top-off of Freon, or refrigerant. If a system is low on refrigerant, there’s most likely a leak somewhere and it needs to be fixed before refrigerant is added to the system, Mason said. This will assure an accurate charge, which is critical for getting top performance out of a system.

“There’s an art to properly charging a system and being aware of a certain manufacturer’s specifications is key. Be wary of anyone who simply says they need to add a couple pounds because your system is a couple pounds short,” Mason noted. “There are other factors, like outdoor temperature at the time of the charge, to consider before doing this work. Not to mention, someone simply adding refrigerant without finding and repairing a leak is not giving you a long-term fix either.”

For more HVAC tips or to schedule a service appointment, visit Mason Mechanical online or call 602-680-5086.

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